Noshahr Canals

Although Battlefield 3’s single-player mode draws a majority of the coverage, the franchise has always been an online game at its core. DICE made its mark with a team-based Conquest mode in Battlefield 1942, where players fought over control points using infantry and a mix of vehicles. It was a revelation at the time.

Those wondering if Battlefield 3 will continue the series’ tradition of multiplayer innovation should have no worries. I played six of the maps and tried out a few modes. Some are good. Some are boring. But each one has what executive producer Patrick Bach calls a “defining wow moment in the multiplayer map.” I’ll get into a major one later.

“People forget the names of the map,” he said. “You need something to anchor it in their minds.” Does that work? Here’s a quick list of maps I played and what I remember most about them.